I'm Right Here
by FairyChild11
Summary: She had been his refuge in the midst of his terror, the light that comforted him in his darkest moments, the love that made his heart beat. They had loved each other since childhood, and although they could never tell each other how they felt, they already knew. And yet, when death took the chance for them to be together from them, their love would prove stronger...
1. The Girl

The first time that the girl who held Saruhiko Fushimi's heart came to Scepter 4's attention, it was under the most unexpected of circumstances.

A group of rogue Beta Strains had caused trouble at a mall, taking some of the shoppers hostage when they realized that Scepter 4 had them surrounded.

The entire Special Squad had gotten separated during the battle, however, after a long and exhausting battle that had lasted late into the night, the civilians were safe, and the hostage takers arrested.

Everyone had been accounted for, except for Saruhiko Fushimi, Scepter 4's third in command.

Captain Reisi Munakata called the maverick clansman's phone, however, he was surprised when a young girl answered, and informed him that Fushimi was unconscious, thanks to the injuries he had sustained, mostly on his right side of his body. She then provided him their location, asking to have a medical team sent over to help the young man.

Accompanied by Awashima, Akiyama, Benzai, Kamo, and Scepter 4 paramedics, Munakata followed the location on his third in command's phone's GPS, but the scene that greeted them was... somewhat unexpected.

Fushimi was lying on his left side, almost on his stomach, his saber and glasses beside him. One hand gripped the hand of the young girl whose lap his head rested on, the other her wrist; her free hand was in his hair, her affectionate expression as she gazed at the young man illuminated by the light of the full moon streaming through the window that had been blown inward during the earlier fight.

At their approach, she looked up sharply, her hand moving from Fushimi's hair to the knife beside her. She relaxed, however, when she saw that her visitors were wearing the same uniform as her slumbering friend, her eyes moving to Munakata, seeming to recognize his rank as the Captain.

She asked the paramedics to be careful since his right side took the brunt of the injuries that he had sustained as they lay him on the stretcher, and she picked up his glasses and saber from their place on the ground. Much to everyone's surprise, Fushimi jerked awake just as the stretcher was being lifted, grabbing her hand in a death grip, his eyes on her.

Her words, soothing to him, suprised those present even further.

" _**I'm right here, Saruhiko, "**_ she said softly. _ **" It's alright; calm down. "**_

The sound of her voice seemed to soothe him, and he lay back on the stretcher, closing his eyes.

But he never let go of her hand.

* * *

She had sustained a sprain on her left wrist which had been exacerbated by Fushimi's death grip, although she never complained, seeming to understand his unspoken fear, and putting his well being before her own.

Munakata and Akiyama rode in the ambulance with Fushimi and the girl who had switched the young man's grip from her left hand to her right as she allowed the paramedic beside her to put her injured wrist in a cast.

She had remained silent, her eyes on Scepter 4's third in command as she held his hand.

Every movement she made, even slight, seemed to to be felt by him, because despite his unconscious state, he held her hand tightly, as if he was afraid that she would disappear if he let go...


	2. Identity

She was worried about Saruhiko as he was wheeled into the Emergency Room for treatment. The fight earlier had resulted in him sustaining three broken ribs on the right side, and several blunt force hits on his arm that made it almost impossible to move.

 _ **I should have been able to protect you!**_ she thought as she walked beside the gurney, still holding his hand. _**What's the point of being around the people you love if can't protect them?!**_

" You should allow the doctor to treat you, Miss, " the man she recognized as Reisi Munakata, the Captain of Scepter 4, and Saruhiko's boss, spoke. " You didn't emerge unscathed, either. "

At his words, another doctor approached them, putting her hand on her shoulder, and was about to guide her to another area of the Emergency Room for treatment when Saruhiko opened his blue eyes, looking at her.

" Hey, " she mustered a smile that she was far from feeling. " I'm going to get my wrist treated while they patch you up. It's okay. "

He looked at her. His blue eyes, usually remote, were suddenly filled with fear, and she suspected that it was because he was afraid that she wouldn't be there when he woke. Her heart ached at the sight, and she bent down, kissing him softly on the forehead while squeezing his hand. " I'm here. "

Slowly, reluctantly, he let go of her hand. As they were steered in opposite directions, she turned to look at him, and saw him trying to keep his eyes open so he could see her. The sedative he had been injected with won, however, and her face was the last thing he saw before his consciousness faded...

* * *

" Who is she? " Akira Hidaka wondered several hours later as he and Ren Gotou stood guard outside Saruhiko Fushimi's private room. The girl was in the room with their third in command, sitting on a chair beside his bed.

Broken ribs and a badly pummeled arm weren't Fushimi-san's only injuries; further tests had shown that he was suffering from hypothermia in addition to several torn tendons, and a moderate concussion that would mean a Godzilla of a headache.

Gotou shrugged. " Beats me, " he muttered. " I've never seen Fushimi-san act like that with _anyone_. "

* * *

Upon Captain Munakata's orders, members of the Special Squad had run a background check on the young girl, and in learning her identity, had inadvertantly dug up Fushimi's past.

The girl's name was Amaya Tenjin,and she was the youngest of the two daughters of Sentaro Tenjin, formerly a workshop supervisor, and his wife, Asami, a professional midwife. She'd had an older sister, Chou, and would have had another sister when she was twelve years old, except that the unborn child had been killed with her mother while she was six months pregnant in the same accident that put her father in a coma that he never woke from. The culprit had been a co-worker of her father's who had been resentful of Sentaro Tenjin's recent promotion over him, and had resolved to kill them. He was arrested of course, and sentenced accordingly, but that wasn't the last of the problems that befell the orphaned children.

The eldest daughter, Chou, was a trouble making party girl who had didn't want to be saddled with the responsibility of taking care of her younger sister; she mostly left Amaya on her own, only retaining guardianship of her in order to receive financial aid that she spent on herself, and her own shady purposes until the truth was revealed, resulting in her younger sister being removed from her custody.

* * *

When Saruhiko Fushimi's personal relationship with the girl was revealed, along with the details of his never mentioned past, it caused a lot of the Special Squad members to exchange looks; it also gave them a wider understanding of why their third in command never let anyone – save from Amaya Tenjin and her late parents, and later, Misaki Yata – near him, and why he seemed terrified at the mere idea of letting the girl out of his sight.

His late father, Niki Fushimi, although said to be highly intelligent ( a trait his son obviously inherited ), never bothered trying to do anything useful with his life, and was a sadistic sociopath whose favorite hobby was terrorizing his only son by emotionally, and mentally abusing him; if ever Amaya Tenjin, who lived across the street from them came into his line of vision, especially when she was with Saruhiko, he would try to terrorize the little girl as well.

Kisa Fushimi had actually been a relationship with Niki before giving birth to their son at the age of nineteen, but the woman was as coldly indifferent to her son, and her responsibilities as a mother as her husband was sadistically gleeful in his cruelty; she rarely ever spent any time with them, and lived separately, preferring to attend cocktail parties and business meetings. She was shown to be the CEO of a major cosmetics company, and was reported to be ruthless in business deals, but neither her co-workers nor subordinates were even aware that she had a son.

* * *

Sentaro Tenjin, and his wife, Asami, were good people; they were kind to anyone who needed help, and because Asami was the one who had delivered Saruhiko Fushimi when he was born, she was well acquainted with the young boy, and his twisted parents.

Despite being the one who helped deliver Saruhiko Fushimi when he was born, Asami Tenjin was shown to be something of an adversary to Kisa Fushimi just as her husband, Sentaro was to Niki. It was pretty understandable why the two couples often banged heads: the Tenjins cared for Saruhiko Fushimi the way his biological parents didn't, and the fact that their youngest daughter was friends with him despite being almost two years younger than him played major roles in their concern for the young boy. They opened their home to him, treating him like a son, even setting up their guest room as his bedroom whenever he came to see them ( which was more often than the time he spent in the hell hole that was his house ).

Sentaro, formerly an ROTC officer in college, and a nephew of a former Special Forces major, and Asami, a three time black belter in judo karate, taught their daughters and Saruhiko how to fight and defend themselves. It was also pretty notable how both Saruhiko and Amaya also became proficient in the art of knife fighting, although they seemed to have their own styles: Saruhiko specialized in knife throwing, while Amaya was skilled in close range combat. Sentaro was also the one who taught young Fushimi what he knew about electronics, and fixing gadgets, although Amaya was a total disaster at it; they seemed to share his fondness for fast cars, although they exercised caution rather than give in to recklessness.

Asami was the one who taught her youngest daughter the ropes about delivering a child, and herbal medicines – something that repulsed her older sister.

When Kisa Fushimi suggested that her son ( whom she disparagingly referred to as " that man's son " ) marry Amaya when both of them grew up, the Tenjins were somewhat flabbergasted, rightfully guessing that she had made the proposal to get him out of her way, although they eventually agreed, if only to protect the two children.

They did, however, inform Kisa that even if her son didn't marry their youngest daughter, he was still their son in their eyes; Saruhiko and Amaya could even break off their engagement if they wanted when the time came.

When the Tenjins and their unborn youngest child were caught in the accident that shattered their world, Saruhiko Fushimi had been just as devastated as Amaya because _they_ had been his parents even if not biologically.

He was very protective of Amaya, even after he met and became friends with Misaki Yata.

She hadn't tried to stop him when he finally moved out of the mansion that he and his psychopathic father resided in, encouraging him to make a life for himself without having to worry about her; he had promised to come back for her, and often snuck into the new apartment that she and her sister had moved to ( her sister never approved of Amaya's friendship with him, and after the accident, forbade any contact between them ), although he had begun to notice how she was keeping secrets from him, and how she was always looking over her shoulder. Whenever he snuck into her apartment, she immediately took him into her room, and bolted the door behind them so that no one could walk in on them while they talked.

It was on one of these occasions that Saruhiko Fushimi learned the truth, and flew into a rage.

One night, when he was fifteen, and Amaya was thirteen, he climbed the fire escape to Amaya's room, and climbed through the window in time to see Chou's boyfriend attempting to sexually assault his fiancee while her older sister was holding the struggling girl down.

Fushimi hadn't wasted another moment. He flung the knives he always carried with him at the demented couple, saving Amaya, and as soon as Chou and her boyfriend leaped away from the sharp barrage, he pulled her into his arms. They barricaded themselves in her bedroom, pushing a drawer set in front of the door to block their two pursuers who were trying to break in before climbing out the window, and running to the nearest police station to report the attempted rape.

Further investigations revealed that despite the attempt, Amaya hadn't been harmed thanks to Fushimi's intervention; her sister, and her boyfriend, however, were arrested for the incident, and it was revealed how her sister had kept custody of Amaya in order to receive financial aid which she never shared with the young girl. Instead, she'd spent it with her boyfriend for their partying, eventually moving onto drugs; she'd even encouraged her boyfriend in his attempt to get sexually intimate with her younger sister, and was angered when Amaya fought him off.

Just before Fushimi's arrival, Chou's boyfriend, Ayato, had made his advances on Amaya, and she had told both him and her sister off; she had been about to go to the police to report both of them when she got pinned down, apparently no match for her two adversaries.

Amaya was promptly placed under the care of her PE teacher who had seen the scars on her back when the young girl was changing alone in the locker room that morning, and had already alerted the authorities.

Fushimi had beat them to the chase, however.

Chou and Ayato were both arrested, and sentenced to thirty years to life in prison with no chance of parole on several accounts: attempted sexual assault of a minor, complicity in the said attempt, physical abuse of a minor ( Amaya had revealed that her sister constantly abused her physically, resulting in several scars and burn marks on her back and arms, which she had tried to hide from Fushimi in order to protect him ), fraud, forgery, and embezzlement of funds.

It was also noted that thanks to the traumatic events that she had experienced, Amaya was very untrusting, refusing to stay with anyone who tried to reach out to her. For a time, she stayed with Fushimi and Yata, sleeping on the couch in their rundown apartment.

It was during that time she was staying with them that her Strain abilities awoke.

One evening, while Fushimi was practicing his knife throwing after dinner, one of the blades barely missed Amaya who accidentally stepped into its path while she was searching for her phone charger; instead, it chopped off her long, thick, dark brown hair, leaving an uneven bob just above her shoulders.

All three individuals were silent, stunned at the loss of the beautiful mane, and nearly had a heart attack when Amaya's hair grew back to its original length in a matter of seconds. Later events would eventually prove that her hair would always grow back, and even grow to various lengths in different situations upon Amaya's desire. Her hair could be used as a rope, even a blanket, as well as a bullet proof shield, earning her the name " Rapunzel " after her two friends joined HOMRA.

Although petrified upon seeing that HOMRA consisted entirely of men, Amaya still swallowed her fear in order to visit her two friends, even becoming close to Anna Kushina despite never joining them.

In between the described events, Amaya constantly visited her father in the hospital, hoping against hope that he would wake up despite family members insisting that she pull the plug on his life support since he would never come back to her.

It was due to her relatives' attitudes that Amaya cut ties with them, and refused to stay with any of them; another factor that contributed to her refusal to stay with them was the fact that they looked down on Fushimi, and her tentative engagement to him. They even encouraged her to leave him so that they could adopt her, and take her to the United States with them.

She refused.

Amaya might have been able to escape her sister's clutches, however, she wasn't able to escape the attention of the Gold Clan, and their mad scientist, Koshi Mizuchi, who also had his sights on Anna; he wanted to force Anna to sync with the Dresden Slates in order to make her the Blue King, while he intended to replace the Gold King with Amaya.

At the same time that he threatened Anna with the loss of Honami Kushina, he threatened Amaya by kidnapping her comatose father, and telling her that he would remove him from the life support system that he was hooked on if she didn't go to the Strain Research Facility that was using a cancer treatment centre as a front.

They also threatened Fushimi, although the young man wasn't aware of it, and only learned the details afterwards.

Desperate to protect Fushimi, and save Anna, Honami, and her father, Amaya went to the said facility, arriving at the same time as Anna. Taking the little girl's hand in hers, Amaya tried to put on brave front as both of them entered the place that was nothing but a place of nightmares.

Amaya stopped, however, when Anna squeezed her hand, and told her that Mizuchi had gone back on his word, pulling her father off life support.

Her father was dead.

Amaya went ballistic then, revealing her almost lethal combat skills – both barehanded, and when wielding a weapon. Telling Anna to close her eyes, and cover her ears, Amaya gutted the doctors on either side of them, and when she had cleared a pathway, she snatched a gun, and ran with Anna to one of the exits. When Mizuchi himself cornered them, she promised Anna that she would find Honami; right now, Anna had to _run_...

" _**Anna. "**_

 _The little girl looked up at Amaya, and saw the determined set of her jaw. The older girl had placed herself protectively in front of Anna when Mizuchi caught up with them, and even without seeing her face, she knew that Amaya was going to buy her time to escape, and avenge her father._

 _Anna could sense Mikoto, and the rest of HOMRA as they entereed the facility, searching for her and Amaya, something she pointed out._

 _Her friend turned to look at her._ _ **" I want you to run out that door, "**_ _she instructed._ _ **" Find Mikoto, get as far away from here as you can, okay? Also tell them to get Saruhiko and Misaki out of here. "**_

 _Anna was distressed._ _ **" You're not coming with me? "**_ _she pleaded._ _ **" But you can't fight him! "**_

" _**You two aren't going anywhere! "**_ _Mizuchi threatened._

" _**And who gave you the right to play God with individuals like us, and the people we care about?! "**_ _Amaya challenged whipping around to face the man who had killed her father, and the family of the little girl behind her._

 _She looked back at Anna._

" _**Run, sweetheart, "**_ _she urged._ _ **" Go! "**_

 _Realizing that her friend wanted to see her safe, Anna turned and ran out the doors, tears choking her. She flinched as Mizuchi shouted at her to come back to him, but kept on going._

" _**You'll have to get past me first, you bastard... "**_ _Amaya's eyes showed Mizuchi what his death would be like._


	3. Confrontation

Amaya Tenjin heard the low murmur of voices outside, but ignored them, her eyes on Saruhiko as he slept.

After her left wrist had been put in a cast, she had been questioned by Lieutenant Awashima and Captain Munakata in the cafeteria about the incident earlier, and it was pretty obvious that both Saruhiko's superiors were aware of her relationship to him. She had answered honestly, while avoiding some of the others, aware of the Blue King's eyes on her. Amaya had also made it a point to ignore the snack that the Blue King's second in command had prepared for her – something tasty made inedible after the woman had drowned it in red bean paste; in Amaya's opinion, it looked like goat dung heaped on a plate, and judging by the way Captain Munakata turned his face away, he was as sickened as she was.

When both the Captain and Lieutenant approached her in the hallway, she had been pretty hungry, but the sight of the ridiculous concoction had made her lose her appetite, and she doubted that even a ravenous rat would want to eat it.

Now, as she sat beside her childhood friend, she felt the pangs of hunger coming back, although she decided to ignore the rumbling in her stomach in order to stay by his side.

Saruhiko muttered something incoherent, turning his head towards her, his breathing laboured. It was only when she reached out, and stroked his hair before holding his hand while murmuring solace to him that he seemed to calm down.

Saruhiko Fushimi was always a restless sleeper. Thanks to the way Niki had terrorized him when he was still alive, and after he passed away, he never seemed to have a moment's peace, even in his sleep; it didn't help that he never slept well in unfamiliar surroundings.

Before her father's death, and Saruhiko's falling out with Misaki, she had temporarily stayed at their rundown apartment, sleeping on the couch until she was allowed to rent an apartment where she could stay alone. Sometimes, she would wake up to find Saruhiko making his way to her, and she would move to make room for him to curl up under the blanket with her. It was kind of funny how Misaki's near heart attack shrieking at the sight of them bundled together the next morning woke them up, even if it was clear that they hadn't gone beyond sleeping in each other's arms; when he had come into their lives, until their parting of ways, all he knew was that Amaya was the girl who had grown up next door to Saruhiko, and they had never bothered telling him about their arranged marriage – partly because they were too young, they weren't exactly comfortable talking about it, and they were also aware that anything could happen in the near or distant future that would cause them to call it off.

When she transferred to Ashinaka High School after her father died, and Saruhiko cut ties with Misaki, he still seemed to have that habit of coming to her apartment, and sleeping next to her; it was very rare to see him sleeping on the couch. In fact, thanks to his constant appearances, her landlady had assumed that they were living together, and were in a romantic relationship. None of them had bothered correcting her since it was too much of a hassle to do so, and it had always amused them to see the look on her face each time she saw them together.

* * *

" Miss? "

Feeling every inch of the exhaustion that had been kept at bay while she was awake, Amaya slowly opened her eyes, and saw Ryuho Kamo, one of Saruhiko's subordinates, bending over her. Sitting up slowly, Amaya rubbed her eyes, and realized that she had fallen asleep with her head on her arms while holding Saruhiko's hand.

Thankfully, Kamo had shown himself to be serious and mature, which made her trust him almost instantly, unlike the carrot haired Domyouji, and meddling Hidaka; both guys had been so noisy that she had almost hurled her chair at them earlier.

" Yes? " she asked softly, glancing at Saruhiko. His breathing was even, and thankfully, he was resting.

Kamo sighed inwardly, hating to have to tell her the news that prompted him to wake her up when she was obviously worried about her fiancée, and exhausted, but he knew that he had no choice. " Fushimi-san's mother, and cousin are here. "

Amaya shot up from her chair almost instantly, but managed to catch herself on time. " What?! " she hissed. " I didn't call them, and they're not even supposed to be here! "

Kamo flinched at the ferocity of her tone, even if she kept her voice low, but ever since her relationship with Fushimi had been revealed, along with both their backgrounds, he could understand why she was so protective of him. " Hidaka called them, " he revealed, remembering how the said clansman had insisted that Fushimi-san's situation was reason enough for his family to be called so that the hatchet could be buried. " We told him not to, but he insisted… "

Amaya was already on her way to the door, her eyes blazing with rage, and Kamo considered it a miracle that she opened and closed it softly instead of kicking the door off his hinges – which she obviously wanted to do.

 _ **Stay away from him**_.

* * *

Amaya could feel the stares of the other Blue Clansmen, including the Captain and Lieutenant as she strode towards the two figures the nosy Hidaka had called. Giving the said clansman a glare that conveyed the consequences of his bungle up that could have struck him dead on the spot, she stopped barely ten feet away from Kisa Fushimi and Aya Oogai. The former was obviously annoyed that she had been called away from one of her oh-it's-so-important cocktail parties – she was dressed in another one of her damn party dresses. For the billionth time in her sixteen years, Amaya wondered how a stone cold, heartless bitch could be her fiancess's mother since she never loved him, or even tried to. Saruhiko may have gotten his features, and some part of his attitude from that bastard Niki, but his black hair, pale skin, and blue eyes came from Kisa; his intelligence seemed to be something that he had inherited from both his parents.

Aya Oogai was Saruhiko's paternal second cousin, but even though she was only a few months younger than Amaya, both girls didn't like each other for their own reasons: Aya resented Amaya for being close to her cousin, as well as engaged to him, while Amaya disliked Aya for having a spoiled, inconsiderate attitude and an almost incestuous, stalker like crush on Saruhiko. But the trigger for the bomb had been set off when Amaya had been staying with Saruhiko and Misaki, and Aya had the audacity to badmouth both her late parents – right after her father's cremation. Amaya had flown into a rage, giving Aya both a black eye and broken jaw; she had even taking one of Saruhiko's knives that she always carried with her, and hacked Aya's hair off dangerously close to her scalp so that barely a few clumps had remained. It had taken Saruhiko putting his arms around her waist, and lifting her off, while keeping an iron grip on her to keep her from killing his cousin. When confronted by her adversary's mother, she had told her what Aya had done, and the woman had understood her reasons for doing what she did. In order to make up for her daughter's insult, Aya's mother had been the one to pay for two months' worth of her rent – despite Amaya's protests. Amaya and Aya hadn't seen each other after that.

Until now.

The temperature in the corridor had dropped below zero as Scepter 4's third in command's fiancée faced off with his estranged mother and second cousin.

Aya took a step back at Amaya's approach, the memory of how humiliated she had been after her near scalping still fresh in her mind. As Amaya glared at both her and Kisa in apparent disgust, Aya was once again struck by how beautiful her cousin's fiancée was ( which had been one of the reasons why Aya had disliked her ).

Amaya Tenjin was petite and slender, with small, yet round and firm high breasts, and waist length, dark hair that could make even a model jealous. The slightly wavy mane was a dark brown, almost shading onto black with natural red and gold highlights that seemed to dance along the strands, framing the oval shaped, baby faced medallion that was her face. Her eyes were a strange color, and yet, it added to her earthly, yet fierce beauty: light brown, almost golden around the pupil in a starburst pattern, with a light blue-green outer color.

 _ **Eyes like the Aurora Borealis and gold starburst.**_

Those were the words that Saruhiko had used to describe Amaya's eyes.

* * *

Amaya glared at the two intruders, not bothering to greet them any more than they had her. The silence was so thick, just breathing sounded loud.

" So what has that boy gotten himself into this time? " Kisa's annoyance was apparent in her tone. The woman was checking her nails, making Amaya even more angry than she already was.

" Nothing that concerns you, _Kisa_ , " she snapped. " You and your minion over here, " she nodded at Aya. " Can leave. Your presence isn't welcome here, especially since you're only his mother biologically; that's as far as you go. "

Kisa sneered. " He's hardly worth the trouble he causes. "

Now Amaya was mad. " Look who's talking when you'd make the walking dead look like Saint Peter! "

Before anyone could move, Amaya had closed the distance between them, and punched Kisa so hard that it sent Saruhiko's biological mother flying halfway across the corridor. She landed in a heap, missing the shoe on her left foot, blood trickling from her mouth, a clear indication of a broken jaw. Her dress pooled around her in a burgundy puddle, a tear going down one side, courtesy of the hem snagging after Amaya sent her flying. Aya cried out, and rushed to Kisa, helping her up.

" Both of you better leave. " Amaya's voice was as cold as a stone grave, her expression ominous enough to scare the devil himself back to sainthood. " And don't come back; if you do, I'll kill you. "

Aya didn't speak; she had seen that look before, and knew better than to cross Amaya.

Because if Amaya didn't kill her, Saruhiko would.

* * *

She waited until the sound of Kisa's heels faded before whirling around, and advancing on Hidaka who backed up.

" _Just what the hell did you think you were doing calling them here even though you know you shouldn't have,_ _ **YOU IDIOT?!**_ _"_ Amaya was beyond furious. It didn't matter that he was one of Saruhiko's co-workers; he had just caused a lot of trouble with his misguided sense of concern.

" I-I... "

" There's a reason why he never talked about his personal life! " Amaya tried not to shout, but she was livid. " I never suggested calling them even if I'm close to him, so why the hell should you when you're just one of his co-workers – and one of those who gives him a migraine to boot?! "

It took several deep breaths, but eventually, she was able to speak again. " Our personal lives are none of your damn business, so don't think that your calling them here will make them concerned about him, " her anger was still obvious. " It's too late for that! _Mind your own damn business!_ "

Without waiting for Hidaka's reply, Amaya turned on her heel, and made her way back to Saruhiko's room. Everyone saw her take a deep breath before she opened the door, but only Munakata saw the pained expression on her face.


	4. Tears

_**Something had happened.**_

That was the first thought that hit him when he opened his eyes, and found Amaya beside his bed. Even without his glasses, he knew that something was bothering her, despite her attempts to act normal.

Saruhiko watched her as she wound her arm around his shoulders, and plumped his pillows after adjusting his bed so that he could sit up properly. She didn't meet his eyes as she poured some water into a styrofoam cup, and held it to his lips so he could drink.

" Easy, " she coaxed softly. " Don't drink too fast; you'll make yourself sick since you don't have anything in your stomach… "

As soon as he finished the water, and declined an offer of a second, he touched her wrist as she turned to throw the cup into the trash bin. " What happened while I was out? "

Silence.

Saruhiko took her wrist, and pulled her gently so that she was facing him, although she still wouldn't meet his eyes, and it hurt to see how she was trying to shoulder everything all because she wanted to protect him. Releasing her wrist, he wrapped his arm around her waist, and lifted her onto the bed so that she was sitting next to him. " Amaya? " She was paler than usual, her aura somewhat tense, yet drained.

She looked away, and sniffed. They were both silent for a long time, and when she spoke, her voice cracked. " Kisa and Aya were here, " she finally admitted. " Hidaka-san called them, but I didn't let them in here. Things really got tense, and I… "

He waited.

" I hit Kisa, " her voice was barely more than a whisper. " I told her and Aya not to come back again, because I'd kill them if they did; I also chewed Hidaka-san out for calling them; it seems that he and your other subordinates did a background check on us, and know about the arrangement, along with the fact that I'm a Strain, and the rocky relationship you have with those two. _**And he still called them because he believed that you're getting hurt would provide a good opportunity to fix things between you…**_ "

Saruhiko was silent after Amaya's revelation. He knew that she wanted to cry, but was trying to hold her tears back because she didn't want him to see her that way, and she was trying to be strong for him, especially now. Even with her face turned away, she looked so desolate, helpless and heartbroken.

The sight tore at him.

Quietly, Saruhiko pulled her into his arms until she was lying beside him, one arm sandwiched between their bodies, and the other clutched the material of the hospital gown he was wearing. He held her as she cried quietly, her tears soaking the material of his clothes.

He knew that his parents' indifference to him was a sore spot with Amaya, and like him, she knew that trying to establish a relationship with Kisa and Aya was a pointless waste of time; for her, trying to get Kisa to love him, and make up for the years that she neglected him would cause him even more unnecessary pain.

And as much as Amaya tried not to be affected, it still broke her heart…

* * *

Akiyama heard the girl's tears as he stood guard, and he knew why she was crying. Earlier, he had heard the soft sound of her conversation with Fushimi who had apparently woken up, and for a time, he thought that they would just have a normal conversation.

The sound of her tears proved otherwise.

Akiyama waited until she quieted down, then went down the hall to find the Captain and Lieutenant Awashima in the cafeteria, talking in low voices. They stopped as he approached, and stopped beside their table, saluting.

" Fushimi-san is awake, Sir, " Akiyama informed them. " Although… the drama from earlier seems to have taken its toll on Amaya Tenjin. "

Munakata suspected that he knew what Akiyama meant, but asked, anyway. " Oh? "

Akiyama looked conflicted. " She was crying, until five minutes ago, Sir. "

Munakata and Awashima exchanged looks. After the tense confrontation with Kisa Fushimi and Aya Oogai, and barely contained explosion at Hidaka, it became clear to Scepter 4 that while Amaya Tenjin might act polite with her fiancee's superiors, she had a very low opinion of people who thought that they could decide for others, and wouldn't hesitate to stand up to them, let alone bite their heads off; they also suspected that she had a low opinion of the authorities due to her experiences with the Gold Clan that had caused her nothing but pain.

The Blue King rose to his feet. " I will speak with them. "

* * *

She had finally quieted down, having cried herself to sleep. Saruhiko pulled her closer, grateful for the warmth and weight in his arms, running his fingers through her soft hair. The softness was enough to comfort him just like her touch, and her presence in his life.

The door opened, and Saruhiko pulled his slumbering fiancée closer as Captain Munakata entered, his violet eyes twinkling as they took in the scene before him.

" You're awake, I see, " the Blue King came to stand beside the bed, and glanced at Amaya Tenjin. Her long, dark hair was loose, half on the bed, the other draped over the side, and it was obvious that she had been crying. Her breathing was even, and she was lying in his third in command's arms, innocent and trusting in her sleep.

Saruhiko clicked his tongue, and indicated the chair beside the bed that Amaya had been sitting in earlier, clearly offering his Captain a seat. As the Blue King sat down, his third in command spoke in low tones. " More or less, Captain, " he muttered, making sure not to wake his exhausted fiancée. " I heard what happened. "

" It seems that there are almost no secrets between you and the young lady, " Munakata smiled, remembering Amaya Tenjin's protectiveness almost from the moment Scepter 4 found her holding his third in command in her arms.

Fushimi clicked his tongue. " There are secrets, and there are secrets, " he muttered softly. " What's going to happen now? "

" You will remain here under guard while you recover, " Munakata answered. " Since the summer vacation is near, I suspect that the young lady will be sure to spend most of her free time with you until you are discharged. "

Fushimi barely stifled a groan. " Great, " he muttered.


	5. Taking Care of You

" _**ENGAGED?! "**_

Izumo tried not to laugh at the shocked look on Yata's face following the news that he had just relayed from Seri Awashima. " Yup, " he confirmed as he polished one of the champagne flutes that had just been washed. " Tenjin-san and Fushimi's parents had arranged it when he was eight and she was six. Seems she was taken even before she stepped through the door. " He slid a glance at Chitose Yo as he spoke.

The other HOMRA members hid their smiles as they remembered how, just prior to her father's death, and Fushimi's defection, Chitose had once made the mistake of trying to flirt with Amaya Tenjin almost as soon as she entered the bar to visit her friends after school.

 _HOMRA's official playboy had tried to get comfy with Amaya after she came in, thinking that he could get past her disinterest, and indifference to his overtures. Upon seeing that she wasn't paying attention, Chitose slung his arm around the petite brunette, only to have that very same limb twisted painfully before she delivered a straight kick to his chin that made him see stars up close and personal. Amaya then finished off the attack with a shoulder throw that knocked the wind out of him, making everyone who had witnessed the feat realize that she wasn't a girl to be crossed despite her almost fragile build._

" _**Do that again, "**_ _she ground out with a saccharine smile as she bent over him._ _ **" And I might just resort to stomping GRAPES. That's how people made wine in the olden days, just so you know. "**_

* * *

" They love each other. "

Everyone – including Mikoto who had been dozing on the couch by the window during the revelation about the true nature of Fushimi's relationship with Amaya – turned to look at Anna as she spoke. Mikoto cracked an eye open to see the Red Clan's little princess sitting on the floor beside his sleeping place, watching the red marbles that were formed from her blood as they circled around on the coffee table.

" They love each other, " Anna repeated softly. " They always have, and always will, even if they can't say anything. Even back then, the bond between them was strong; she'll give her life for him, just as he will for her… "

Everyone was silent.

Despite Yata's falling out with Fushimi and Amaya, the latter maintained a friendly relationship with several of the members of HOMRA, pitching in to help if and when she could. She was especially close to Anna, acting as a surrogate older sister/mother to her ever since the tragedy that took her father's life, and made the little girl's own aunt forget her. Every now and then, Amaya would pass by with treats ( which Yata refused to touch ), and take Anna out – sometimes to buy her some new clothes, or anything she might need, or simply to spend time with her; a lot of times, she was the one who babysat her younger friend.

* * *

" Come on, Saruhiko! " Amaya coaxed. " Just one more bite! "

Saruhiko made a face. " I'm not a kid that you have to be the one to feed me! " she growled, his eyes moving back to the spoon of beef stew that Amaya was holding out to him. " I can feed myself! "

Now it was Amaya's turn to make a face. " If I don't feed you, " she pointed out, putting the spoon back in the food, " You probably _wouldn't_ eat! And knowing how you eat, it's a miracle you're still on your feet – even if not literally! "

Knowing how bad hospital food tasted, and that Saruhiko would starve himself to death before eating vegetables, Amaya had gone home to cook beef stew to bring to him, and change her clothes. She came back to hospital with several plastic containers that were filled with beef stew, carbonara, and sushi; she'd even brought drinks with her.

She tried not to grin as she remembered Saruhiko's expression when she entered his room, her arm laden with her bounty. Akiyama had been assigned to watch him, and make sure that he didn't do anything rash since he had a propensity for taking almost deadly risks.

After handing Akiyama a container of food, she'd sat down with Saruhiko, and they began to eat. Scepter 4's third in command, however, seemed to have the habit of eating like a bird, so Amaya had taken matters into her own hands, and began feeding him, much to his chagrin.

Which led to this moment.

Saruhiko tsked. " Hand me the iced tea, " he muttered.

His eyes widened when she handed him his drink because it wasn't just a plastic bottle of iced tea that she handed to him; it was a _liter_ bottle. " That's big! "

Amaya smirked at him. " Stop complaining, and just drink! "

" My, " Munakata entered the room, looking amused as he took in the scene before him. " I was wondering what all the excitement was about; both of you make quite a pair! "

Amaya rose from her seat, and bowed in greeting. " Good afternoon, captain. "

" Good afternoon, Tenjin-kun, " he acknowledged the petite brunette. " I see you and Fushimi-kun are quite busy; your voices carried all the way down the corridor. "

Amaya felt her face turn bright red. " Uh.. sorry. "

" If she wasn't so busy playing the housewife, " Fushimi muttered, looking away to hid the fact that he was also starting to blush. " Things would be a bit more quiet! "

" I wouldn't need to play the concerned housewife if you ate all your food, just so you know! " Amaya retorted, turning back to him. " You eat like a bird that couldn't find enough worms! "

Munakata's deep throated chuckle interrupted the duo's cute little spat. " I don't see why she shouldn't, Fushimi-kun, " he pointed out as he pushed his glasses up. " She _is_ affianced to you, after all, so she is doing her best to try and take care of you. "

" _**Ehhhhhh?! "**_

 _ **Did the Blue King have to bring that subject up?!**_ Amaya was so red, she was surprised that steam didn't come out of her ears.

 _ **Oh, dear.**_

" I-I… " Amaya stuttered. " I wasn't doing it because of the arrangement, Captain. " At the Blue King's questioning glance, she sighed. " I try to take care of him because I care for him… that's all. "

Her face red with embarrassment, she avoided looking at her betrothed, and hurried past Munakata. Despite getting caught off guard, she felt something like an icy calm flood through her as she'd spoken those words.

 _ **Because she loved Saruhiko, and they were true.**_


	6. The Truth Revealed

" Amaya. "

She would recognize that soft voice anywhere. Amaya turned to see Anna with Yata, the former's enormous, mysterious ruby eyes on her, the latter standing with his hands in his pockets, looking away from her.

Despite the tension between her and Yata, Amaya felt her heart melt at the sight of the precious little albino, a gentle smile lighting the young brunette's face as she turned towards the pair. Anna left Yata's side, meeting her halfway as she made her way to them. Amaya's arms went around the younger girl, and she hugged her tenderly, planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head. " Hi, sweetheart, " she greeted the little girl.

Anna greeted her friend with a pure hearted smile that Amaya felt was more beautiful than the morning sun, and too innocent to be in any place in this cruel world. Amaya brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, and tucked it behind her ear before looking up. A frown creased Yata's brow as his eyes took in the sight of the petite brunette holding his clan's little princess in her arms. " Yata, " she greeted formally.

The Red Clan's most brash member felt his face burn up as he remembered the conversation at the bar from earlier where Kusanagi-san had revealed that Amaya was engaged to his former best friend, and had been since she was a child; the times when he woke up to see the pair sleeping under the same blanket also flashed in his mind as the moments passed. " Hey, " he muttered. " How's the damn monkey doing? "

Bad move.

A dark storm cloud didn't do justice to the way Amaya's expression turned from placid to destructively angry, her arms tightening around Anna. " He's resting, " she said coldly. " Although I don't see why it should concern you. "

The Blue Clansmen in the corridor exchanged looks and swallowed at the scene unfolding in front of them. Amaya Tenjin's burst of rage during her confrontation with Fushimi-san's estranged relatives seemed to loom over the horizon, and once again, the temperature seemed to drop, but it wasn't like before since she seemed to be holding back for the sake of the little girl she was holding so protectively in her arms.

Still, they couldn't take any chances. Several of the men automatically laid their hands on the hilts of their swords as the tense moments passed in silent challenge between their third in command's fiancée, and his former best friend. Anna Kushina looked back and forth between her two friends, apparently worried.

" Sweetheart, " Amaya's tone was gentle as she addressed the child in her arms, although she never took her eyes off Yata. " Saruhiko is in the room to the left behind me. It's a private room, and the only company you'll have is the guy who was assigned to watch over him, so there should be no one to bother you; go and see him. "

Anna gazed up at her friend, saddened. She could feel the tension between Amaya and Misaki, along with the heartache that both of them carried, and their concern for Saruhiko. " Okay, " she replied softly as Amaya's arms released her, allowing her to leave.

Amaya listened to the sound of Anna's footsteps making their way to Saruhiko's room, and waited until she heard the door close behind the little girl before she spoke. " Let's go for a walk, " she told Yata, before she moved past him.

Strangely enough, the hotheaded clansman didn't throw one of his well-known-for, rude and disparaging comments; the present clansmen didn't know if it was due to the fact that he was facing a girl who had been a mutual friend of his and their third in command, or because he was in a hospital.

Well, whatever the reason was, they were grateful that he didn't cause a scene, and give them more of a headache. Amaya Tenjin, despite being polite with them, was obviously a girl who never backed away from a fight, and wouldn't hesitate to get into one if the need arose, no matter who her opponent was.

If the Red Clansman picked a fight right now, it would result in collateral damage.

They got their drinks from the vending machine, and upon Amaya's suggestion, went to the courtyard where she sat on a stone bench overlooking a small pond that was populated by koi fishes of all sizes.

After a moment, she spoke. " Kisa and Aya were here. "

Yata choked on his drink at the mention of the names of the two females, and it took several moments of coughing - along with extra gulps of water from the bottle he'd brought with him – before he could catch his breath, and talk again. _**" WHAT?! "**_

" You heard me. "

Amaya's voice was hollow, her expression bleak, and Yata couldn't blame her. Ever since he met, and became friends with her and Saruhiko, the majority of the details he'd learned about the raven haired teenager's life that he didn't learn from experience had been from what Amaya had told him; he hadn't met her parents since they had been deceased for at least four months before he met her ( although Saruhiko had mentioned her on more than one occasion ). He'd almost blown a fuse after Saruhiko had brought her to the apartment, and told him ( after she had gone to sleep ) what her sister and her boyfriend had tried to do to her; because of that, he'd tried to tread softly around her when she was staying with them, and he had still tried to be careful even after she'd moved out before Saruhiko had left.

Her hollow monotone never changing, Amaya told him about the events from two nights past, and he listened, feeling his animosity towards his former best friend momentarily evaporate as he felt his old concern take wing. Like Saruhiko, he knew how Amaya felt about his parents' indifference to him, and how she was always trying to protect him, so it obviously hadn't been easy for her to see Aya and Kisa, given their history.

" Is it true? "

Amaya glanced at the hazel eyed loudmouth. " Is what true, exactly? " she asked, affecting a bored tone.

Yata swallowed, and felt his face turn bright red, although he forced himself to look straight at her. " A-about you Saruhiko b-being engaged… "

This time, it was Amaya who looked away, her face turning pink, before shading onto the color of a ripe tomato. But then he saw her square her shoulders before raising her head proudly, finally meeting his eyes. " Yes, " she answered simply.

 _ **Oh, hell.**_

Saruhiko opened his eyes at the sound of the door to his room opening, then closing, although the accompanying footsteps weren't Amaya's. Opening his eyes, he reached for his glasses, and put them on in time to see Anna making her way towards him. Akiyama-san greeted the little girl softly, and offered her a chair, which she gracefully accepted.

She looked so small in her chair, and he remembered once again how Tatara Totsuka had commented that she resembled a doll that had lost her emotions, although everyone knew that the latter wasn't true; Anna may be somewhat expressionless, but she had feelings just like any other human being, but given her abilities, they ran deeper.

" Hello, Saruhiko. "

The former Red Clansman tried not to tsk at the young Strain's habit of habit of addressing people by their first name, and nodded to Akiyama, indicating that the said subordinate could leave. " What are you doing here? " he asked in a bored tone. " If you came here alone, you know how Amaya will raise hell. "

Anna blinked at the mention of her friend's name. " I didn't, " she pointed out. " Misaki is with me; he and Amaya went to talk alone. "

Now _that_ caught his attention. " What about? " he asked, suddenly feeling the urge to get up and look for the said girl. Ever since Captain Munakata's teasing comment yesterday, Amaya had been pretty awkward and shy around him, unable to meet his eyes for more than a moment.

Anna shook her head. " I don't know, " she admitted. " I was worried that they were going to start fighting in the hallway, but obviously, they didn't. "

Suddenly, those ruby eyes were on him. " Saruhiko, " Anna's soft tone never changed. " Do you love her? Misaki nearly had a heart attack when he learned that you two are engaged. "

To have someone ask him that question was unnerving enough; to have that question asked by a little girl was outright surreal.

 _ **What do I say to a kid who just asked that question?**_ He wondered to himself. _**Worst of all, how do I answer it?**_

Silence reigned for a few minutes.

" She loves you, Saruhiko, " Anna said softly.


	7. It Will Always Be You

Amaya suddenly felt awkward in the face of the reality that she and Saruhiko would one day be married. Prior to Captain Munakata's comment yesterday about how she was taking care of the stubborn young man since they were engaged, the whole thing had seemed so far away, so… dreamlike.

She had always been used to him being there, been used to them _together,_ which was why she had never minded feeling his arms around her when they were curled up together, or when they were holding hands. In fact, because of Saruhiko, she had ignored, and brushed off boys who tried to make a move on her because none of them were _him_ , and none of them could compare to him in her eyes.

Captain Munakata was handsome, elegant, the very epitome of a gentleman, and the closest when it came to Saruhiko's standing in her eyes, but still…

Yata had left with Anna more than an hour ago after she assured him that his former best friend, her _fiancée_ , was fine, and he would be discharged in a couple of days. Yata had wanted to go and see Saruhiko, but had decided not to when he realized that his injuries weren't that serious. It had annoyed Amaya that he didn't even _try_ to see that the reason for their falling apart hadn't been because of the latter's leaving HOMRA for Scepter 4, but because the former had seemed to forget that his best friend needed him, and left him out in the cold just when he needed him the most after getting really comfy with the Red Clan. Amaya remembered how Saruhiko had trembled in her arms after learning of Niki's death, and clung to her like a lifeline when the Green King had infected him with a virus that made him hallucinate that the psychotic bastard was haunting him beyond the grave; she had felt so helpless, so powerless because all she could do was hold him, and Yata hadn't even noticed his best friend's turmoil. Saruhiko might tell Yata that he left HOMRA for Scepter 4 because he wanted more power, and Amaya that he did it to get his attention, but she knew better: Saruhiko had left because he felt that he didn't have any place in Yata's life anymore, and because he also wanted to protect Amaya.

Suddenly, the memory of the day that her father died at the hands of the Gold Clan rose up in her mind, painfully clear.

* * *

 _After HOMRA had given Koshi Mizuchi and his henchmen a thorough beating for threatening Anna and Honami, which resulted in the latter forgetting about the precious little girl, and that she was her niece, the former had used her marbles to locate the body of Amaya's father._

 _Saruhiko and Yata told Amaya to wait for them, and despite wanting to go with them to find her father, the look in the raven haired teenager's eyes held her in place._

 _Seconds seemed to turn into hours as she waited outside the building, holding Anna in her arms since the little girl was distraught that she had lost her aunt due to what had been done to her._

 _When Saruhiko and Yata emerged from the main entrance, carrying the stretcher that held her father's blanket covered body between them, everyone went silent. Yata, who was at the rear, was fighting to control his grief for his two friends who loved the man who died without ever waking up to see his youngest daughter's face, although he wasn't having much luck since his eyes were red, and leaking tears._

 _Saruhiko was silent, and stoic, his normally pale face looking almost as white as a sheet, his remote blue eyes stormy with grief for the man who was the father of the brown haired girl waiting for him at the bottom of the steps, and the father that he'd never had._

 _He couldn't – and wouldn't – meet Amaya's eyes._

 _Both teenagers set down the stretcher that carried Sentaro Tenjin's body just as Amaya reached Saruhiko, her Aurora Borealis, stardust eyes on the blanket covered body of her father who died without ever knowing what his daughter, and the boy he considered his son had gone through._

 _Amaya was faintly aware of Yata sitting down on the steps, and crying, but she didn't look at him; her eyes were on the boy she had grown up next to, and she knew that his heart was breaking, but only worse than hers…_

 _Gently, Amaya wound her arms around Saruhiko, and she felt him return the gesture before he sagged against her, his glasses getting dislodged as he buried his face in her shoulder. After a moment, she felt his tears seep through the material of her blouse, and his shoulders began to shake._

 _They held onto each other as both of them cried for her father…_

* * *

" I owe you an apology, Tenjin-kun. "

The Blue King's deep voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see him standing away from the stone bench she was sitting on. She blinked up at him, bewildered. " What for, Captain? "

Munakata had to smile at the dark haired girl's naivete in the face of his comment. She allowed him to sit next to her on the bench, her multicolored eyes on him as she waited for him to explain.

" I owe you an apology for my teasing you, and Fushimi-kun yesterday, " he explained. " It seems that my comment made things awkward between the both of you. "

Amaya blinked. _**The Blue King apologizing to me, of all people?**_

" It's alright, Captain, " she said softly. " I know you didn't say that with the intention of making things awkward. "

" Both you never seem to discuss your engagement, " Munakata pointed out, glancing at his third in command's betrothed. Her dark hair was held in a low, simple braid, providing a better view of her baby faced, natural beauty, and her eyes seemed to sparkle.

Amaya smiled faintly, her cheeks turning pink. " Not that often, " she admitted. " We've never discussed it because it seems to be more of a grown up thing, and we're not ready yet; frankly, I remember him saying that he never wanted to grow up. Anything can happen in the years to come, and there might come a time when we decide to go our separate ways, although I don't want to… "

" You love him. "

Once again, Amaya dared to look up at his violet eyes, which were as mysterious as the man himself, her rosy blush spreading over her face. " Yes Sir, I love him… but I can't say anything because I'm afraid it might drive him away. There are times I wonder if he just holds onto me because I'm there, and not because… "

" Maybe you should ask him. "

Now she was bright red. " That would be embarrassing… "

* * *

 _ **Do you love her?**_

 _ **She loves you…**_

Anna's words played in his mind over and over again even after Anna and Misaki left; the latter hadn't even bothered coming to see him, but it wasn't like he would.

He remembered Anna's ruby eyes on him as she asked him about her friend, and told him how Amaya felt about him. He hadn't been able to answer, because he didn't know _how_ to. She'd seemed to realize that she had hit a point that he hadn't even bothered to explore himself, and decided to leave without asking him to answer.

Yes, he had grown up around Amaya, been comforted by her presence in his life, and he had always wanted to protect her from monsters like Niki, Kisa, Chou, and Mizuchi, but he had never asked himself, let alone admitted how he'd felt about her. The arrangement between _that man's wife_ , and her parents was something he had lived most of his life with, although he'd never given it much thought.

Now, following Anna's question, he found himself remembering how enraged he had been when he had gone to see her, and found her almost raped at the hands of the one person who should have protected her.

His grief over her Sentaro Tenjin's death hadn't only been because the man had been his father figure, but also because he knew how much he'd meant to Amaya; the knife in his heart had been driven deeper when Anna had revealed that Amaya hadn't only gone to Nanakamado for her, Honami, and her father, but also for _him_.

She had been trying to protect him.

The sound of the door to his room opening, followed by Amaya's voice ( which she was keeping low in case he was asleep ) brought him back to the real world, and he turned his head to see her coming in.

Fushimi's brow furrowed when he saw how red her face was, and how awkward she seemed. " Hey. "

She smiled faintly, her cheeks reddening even more. " Hey. "

 _ **She had always been there…**_

* * *

 _He wasn't able to sleep, so he went downstairs, and sat on the long sofa in the den, watching the shadows playing around in the silence of the midnight hour._

 _Saruhiko didn't know how long he had been there before the sound of small feet coming downstairs caught his attention. He turned to see Amaya at the entrance, a blanket in her arms. He sat up as she came to stand beside the couch, looking small for her eight years before she climbed beside him, and spread the blanket over both of them._ _ **" Can't sleep? "**_ _she asked, her eyes large and innocent._

 _He sighed. **" No, "** he replied, thankful for her presence, and the blanket that protected them from the chill. __**" What are you doing here, anyway? I know you're scared of the dark. "**_

 _Amaya looked up at him._ _ **" I was afraid that you were having nightmares again, "**_ _she answered_ _ **, " So I went to see you in your room, but you weren't there. "**_

 _Saruhiko sighed again, knowing that she was right. He_ _ **had**_ _been having nightmares about Niki again, but tonight had been worse than the others, and since he didn't want to bother her parents – or her, he'd tried to sit quietly in the dark._

 _His thoughts were interrupted as Amaya snuggled up to him, before reaching up, and hugging him around the shoulders, stroking his hair the way she had done many times when she sat with him until he slept._

" _**It's okay, "**_ _she said softly._ _ **" I'm here… I'm right here. "**_

 _Her parents found them the next morning, sleeping peacefully under the blanket, Saruhiko's cheek resting atop Amaya's hair, and her head was pillowed on his shoulder._

* * *

Funny how that memory had always been there, something he was able to go back to in the years that followed, and the tragedies that had come with them.

Now, as his eyes met those of the girl who had always been at his side, Saruhiko knew.

From the moment they had met as children, until this very moment, and until the day he died, it was _her_.

 _ **It would always be her…**_


	8. Official

_**Something is different…**_

Amaya felt it in the way Saruhiko was looking at her when she entered the room, and their eyes met as she closed the door behind her. She couldn't quite pinpoint what it was that was different, but she _felt_ it in the air. His usual scowl wasn't that severe, _and his eyes_ …

" The doctor said that you can get out of bed, and walk around now… " she found that her voice seemed to be going into hibernation as she spoke, and she wondered if it was because of the unfamiliar sensations that were flowing through her as she realized that Saruhiko's eyes seemed to take in every little movement she made. _**I love him,**_ she thought to herself. _ **But how does he feel about me? Do I mean anything to him? Does he love me, too?**_

 _ **What am I to him?**_

" About time, too, " Saruhiko muttered, noting how the rosy hue on Amaya's face had deepened and was spreading down to her neck…

Amaya gave herself a mental shake. _**Get a grip!**_ She scolded.

" Do you want to walk around? " she asked coming to stand beside his bed, wondering where all the air in the room went. She felt her blush deepen as Saruhiko's arm wound itself around her waist, and tugged her closer. " The doctor said to make sure to support the right side of your body so that you won't put any pressure on it. "

Saruhiko nodded, and allowed Amaya to help him get out of bed, his eyes moving the dark mane that was her uniquely colored hair, and the way that her white blouse caressed her creamy white skin.

When he was on his feet, Amaya allowed him to rest his arm lightly on her upper back, while she got her own around his waist to support his weight. " Let's go. "

None of them said a word as they slowly made their way out of his room, Saruhiko pointing that he wanted to go down the corridor, in the direction of the fountain where Amaya had ( unknown to him ) spoken separately with Yata and Captain Munakata earlier that day. They passed the Blue King and a newly arrived Lieutenant Awashima as they walked, greeting them politely before continuing on their way. Both of them were fully aware of the surprise that had spread through the ranks of Scepter 4 at the revelation of their relationship since Fushimi wasn't the least bit famous for his social skills, although his out of the box methods when it came to his job were pretty effective in getting results. In both teenagers' opinions, the only member of Scepter 4 who seemed to take things in stride about their relationship was Captain Munakata himself, who seemed pretty amused – and supportive of their bond while observing them from far away; the other members – the Special Squad in particular – while polite, were pretty awkward when it came to their third in command and the petite, but formidable female who was one day bound to be his wife when both of them were together. Ryuho Kamo seemed to be the only other person – next to Munakata – who didn't ask any questions about Amaya Tenjin's relationship with Saruhiko Fushimi. Unknown to both Saruhiko and Amaya, both Munakata and Kamo were somewhat glad that the dour young man had someone whose mere presence soothed him, and who actually brought out glimpses of his heart since he was so closed off to others – his former best friend, Misaki Yata included.

As they walked, Amaya felt it again in the air, and noted how Saruhiko seemed to hold her closer…

Almost twenty minutes later, they finally reached the stone bench beside the small pond. Amaya was about to ease Saruhiko down so he could sit and rest, but his arm tightening around her shoulder stopped her, causing her to look up.

Amaya's heart nearly stopped.

Saruhiko's face was so close, his usually remote blue eyes looking like a pair of sapphires in a storm as he gazed down at her, before winding his other arm around her, and holding her...

 _ **He was so close…**_

When Saruhiko's lips descended on hers, the kiss was gentle, almost hesitant, and exploring. Amaya nearly jumped out of her sandals at the contact, and found herself winding her own arms around him, and her eyes drifted closed.

Her reaction surprised Saruhiko.

She kissed him back, trying to pour her feelings into her response, and when they finally pulled apart, they were gasping for air. Amaya had to smile at the rosy patches appearing on Saruhiko's pale cheeks, because he rarely – if ever – blushed, unlike herself, and Yata.

" Wh-what was _**that**_ about?! " she asked, feeling like her face could fry an egg.

" _Tch._ Isn't it obvious? " Saruhiko snapped. " I kissed you! "

" I know you kissed me! " Amaya retorted, feeling dizzy. " But what for?! "

" _Tch."_ Saruhiko huffed in exasperation. " _**I love you,**_ okay? "

Silence.

Amaya blinked at him, stunned. In his opinion, she looked like a startled squirrel – minus the protruding teeth. _**" Eh?! "**_

 _ **Oh, nuts.**_ Saruhiko thought. _**What if she didn't like it?**_

 _ **What if she doesn't feel the same?**_

Amaya stared at him in shock, almost unable to believe what she was hearing. It had been easy to finally admit to herself that she loved Saruhiko – _**that she had always loved him**_ – but hearing him tell her that he loved her seemed to like a dream…

He was staring at her, his expression tense. " Hey! " he snapped. " Say something! "

" I love you, too. "

Now it was his turn to gawk. _**" Haah?! "**_

Amaya went from stunned and blushing to impishly furious. " Good grief! " she huffed, placing her hands on her hips. " You kiss me, tell me that you love me, ask me to say something, and when I tell you that _**I love you too**_ because it's the truth, you gawk at me - ! "

Before she could bring her tirade any further, Saruhiko closed the distance between them again, and kissed her a second time in less than five minutes. When he pulled away, she wobbled on her feet, and would have fallen if he hadn't put his arms out to catch her.

" I guess our engagement is official, then, " she declared when she finally managed to orient herself.

Saruhiko's lips tugged upwards slightly. " Yeah, " he agreed. " It is. "


	9. Return of a Nightmare

They walked in comfortable silence, his arm around her shoulders as she guided him back to his room. He breathed in her scent, feeling at peace, something he hadn't felt since her parents were alive, and he was with them.

Captain Munakata and Lieutenant Awashima were waiting for them in his room when they opened the door, along with Akiyama, and from the way the Blue King's eyes twinkled as they came to rest on them as they came in, it was obvious he knew that they had confessed their feelings to one another.

Fushimi straightened, moving his arm from Amaya's shoulders to her waist, and adjusted his glasses, his face taking on its usually bored expresion. Amaya's face reddened slightly at the knowing smile on Munakata's face, and she bowed slightly in greeting. " Captain, " she spoke. " Lieutenant. "

" Good afternoon, Fushimi-kun, " the Scepter 4 Captain returned. " Tenjin-kun. "

As Fushimi closed the door behind him and Amaya, his superiors sat on the long sofa against the wall on the right side of the bed while Akiyama stood beside them, and watched the young third in command ease himself onto the bed with help from his fiancee who made sure that he was comfortable, his pillows plumped up. Munakata smiled inwardly at how comfortable his third in command seemed in the presence of his childhood friend and fiancée; the signs weren't that obvious to the ordinary eye, but they were there nonetheless: Fushimi's prominent scowl wasn't as severe as it usually was, and the shuttered look in his blue eyes was almost absent when he looked at her. As Amaya Tenjin asked him if he wanted her to adjust his pillows a bit more and he declined, Munakata saw the fond look Fushimi gave the girl before the young man reached up, and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes, tucking it tenderly behind her ear.

Sensing that the Blue King and his second in command wanted to speak with Fushimi in private, Amaya excused herself, but, unable to resist, she leaned over, and kissed her fiancée tenderly on the lips, telling him that she would be back later. She heard the startled sound that Awashima made at the sight, but she didn't care, and grinned; out of the corner of her eye, she saw Akiyama's eyebrows go up before he glanced away discreetly.

 _ **Hell,**_ she thought. _**Everyone knows that we're engaged, so I can kiss him if I want!**_

Amaya left the room grinning like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

" Uh… Fushimi-kun? "

Scepter 4's third in command turned towards the woman, almost smirking at the sight of her gawking, although he covered it with his usual bored scowl.

The Blue King, however, was able to grasp the situation faster, and chuckled in amusement. " I see that things have progressed quite nicely, " he commented.

Fushimi clicked his tongue. " So what's going on? " he asked, determined to steer their attention from what he considered to be his private moment.

The light, teasing atmosphere became more serious as the Captain spoke the words that brought the nightmare that Fushimi had thought was over back to life.

" Ayato Manato and Chou Tenjin have escaped from prison. "

Silence.

Fushimi's face, already pale, turned a ghostly white. " Wait… _**what?!**_ "

Munakata's carefree, teasing smile disappeared as he listened to his second in command fill the young man in on the details, Amaya Tenjin's childlike face appearing in the Captain's mind.

" We received word from the Metropolitan Police, and the Bureau of Corrections, " Awashima explained in her usual business like tone. " There was a prison break last night at the penitentiary where Ayato Manato and Chou Tenjin were being held, and it was confirmed that they were among those who had managed to escape before the riot was quelled; both of them were not among those who were apprehended. "

Fushimi swore inwardly as he remembered the night he had learned the truth about what Amaya's life had become after her parents were killed, and she was placed under her sister's " care ".

God in Heaven above, how he had wanted to kill Ayato and Chou – not only for the latter's neglect and abuse of her younger sister, but also for being an accomplice in her boyfriend's perverted attempt on Amaya.

 _He remembered the fearful, despairing look on Amaya's face as Chou held her down, and Ayato was attempting to pull her pyjama bottoms off as she kicked and struggled…_

" _**Get off her! "**_ _Fushimi's voice startled the three individuals in the apartment, and as all of them turned to look at him, he flung his knives in their direction, making sure that none of them hit Amaya even as her Chou and Ayato leapt away from the barrage of steel, releasing their intended prey._

" _**Saruhiko..! "**_

 _He didn't waste any time. Striding towards Amaya as she managed to sit up, and attempted to fix her ruined clothing, Saruhiko snatched the girl up, flinging some more of his weapons at her assailants to keep them back before carrying her into her room where they pushed the drawer set against the door._

 _Quickly, they unlocked the window of Amaya's room, and ran down the fire escape. As soon as they reached the bottom, and landed on the concrete pavement, Fushimi took Amaya's hand in his, noticing how cold it was, and tightening his hold as they ran in the direction of the nearest police station…_

 _ **Amaya hadn't been able to look at him, as if she was ashamed to face him.**_

 _The officers working the night shift at the precinct were startled as the glass doors burst open, revealing the two individuals – one a teenager, the other a tiny girl in torn pyjamas, and knew that something bad had happened. As they reported the attempt, Fushimi noticed how Amaya avoided looking at him, and they'd needed to have a female doctor examine her to determine if she had been sexually assaulted since she almost went into hysterics at the idea of a male doctor touching her._

 _Even after it was confirmed that Ayato hadn't succeeded in touching her, Amaya still couldn't look at him…_

" What's worse, " Awashima's voice brought him back to present. " Is that both of them had pictures of you and Tenjin-san in their cells, and there were red target marks drawn on them. "

 _ **They were coming for revenge.**_

 _ **Dammit,**_ Fushimi thought to himself. _**How am I going to tell her?**_

" She needs to know, " he stated simply. " It's her life in particular that's in danger. "

" We have assigned Kamo-san to accompany her when she isn't in your presence, " Munakata revealed. " She will also be informed as soon as she returns. "

Despite Munakata's assurance, it was obvious that Fushimi wasn't going to take any chances with her safety. Picking his phone up from the bedside table, he dialed Amaya's number, his heart in his throat as he waited for her to answer.

She answered on the second ring. " Hello? "

" Where are you? " he demanded.

" Huh? " Amaya's confused tone greeted him. " I'm on my way to the grocery store with Kamo-san to pick up some stuff. " She paused. " What's wrong? "

" Screw the groceries! " Fushimi growled. " Get back here, now! It's urgent! "

It was obvious that she was miffed, and about to go into stubborn as a mule mode when he heard Kamo-san's voice in the background, although he couldn't make out what he was saying as he spoke to Amaya. After a moment, she came back on the line, and sounded a bit more subdued. " I'm coming. "

* * *

She looked annoyed, and ready to explode when she entered the room, and marched right up to Fushimi who was sitting on the side of the bed. " Okay, spill it, " she demanded, her hands on her hips.

Kamo tried not to smile at the feisty little teenager's blunt, straightforward approach. During her phone conversation with the unsociable third in command, Kamo had received the text message on his phone to bring her back to the hospital because it was urgent, which he had relayed to her; the result was that she had agreed to come back, albeit, not without scowling ominously.

Captain Munakata cleared his throat to get the attention of the two individuals who were at the center of the drama that threatened their lives. " My apologies for the sudden demand, Tenjin-kun, " he stated. " There is an urgent matter that needs to be brought to your attention, just as it has been brought to Fushimi-kun's. "

Amaya Tenjin's unique eyes looked the Blue King closely, her scrutiny cut short by his third in command suddenly lifting her onto the bed beside him before he put his arm around her waist.

As Awashima repeated what she had told Fushimi, Amaya's face paled, and her eyes widened so that she looked like a startled owl. If they thought that the news about her sister's escape, and plotted revenge was enough to make her faint, or shrink away, they were wrong. After a moment of silence, Amaya snorted in an unladylike way. " She always liked to play it cheap and dirty, " she commented, her eyes flaring with fury as she remembered what her sister had done to her.

" We have decided that you will stay at Scepter 4 headquarters until the situation is resolved, " Munakata informed her. " It will be much easier to keep you and Fushimi-kun will be under our protection. " His violet eyes twinkled. " If you are at our base, we will not have to worry about Fushimi-kun sneaking off to see you. "

The said young man gave a strangled sound even as his fiancée blushed at the double meaning in the Blue King's words.


	10. Fighting and Losing

To say that things were tense after the news of her sister's escape from prison would have been a bit too light a description for the atmosphere.

Amaya couldn't stop shaking inside. Despite the anger she felt at her sister for being an accomplice to her boyfriend, she was also terrified, and not only for herself, but for Fushimi as well. He may be cool and level headed even in the face of danger, but he had a tendency to be reckless about himself when it came to her, and she was terrified that this time, she would lose him too.

 _ **And she would rather die than lose him.**_

Following the disturbing news that Captain Munakata and Lieutenant Awashima had relayed, the latter had convinced the hospital to discharge Fushimi earlier than expected, with a promise that he would rest in the infirmary once arriving at headquarters, and once it had been confirmed that he could leave, he dressed in the clothes Amaya had brought for him the previous day.

* * *

 _Fushimi hadn't wanted Amaya out of his sight – even when he was changing, and she, for her part, turned a hot, bright pink before her face took on the color of an overripe tomato at the thought of seeing him without his clothes on._

" _**No way! "**_ _she squawked._ _ **" We might be engaged, but that doesn't mean that I've seen you in your underwear – let alone your birthday suit! I'm waiting outside! "**_

" _**You're blushing NOW?! "**_ _Fushimi snarked, his blue eyes wide._ _ **" I've been sleeping next to you for how many years, and you had to pick now to say no?! "**_

" _**That's because we BOTH had our clothes on, dummy! "**_ _Amaya retorted, reddening even further._

 _Fushimi stared at her._ _ **" You had to take off your uniform in front of me when you were six! "**_ _he reminded her._

" _**We were kids back then! "**_ _she shrieked._ _ **" We weren't anywhere near puberty! And besides, that was because you accidentally spilled your coke on me when you slipped while we were on our way home! I had to take off my blouse so we could wash it in the fountain we were passing by! "**_

 _Munakata's deep throated chuckle, along with Awashima's strangled attempt not to laugh, interrupted the argument between the two individuals while Akiyama, Benzai, and Kamo were trying to hide their grins._

" _**I must agree with Tenjin-kun, Fushimi-kun, "**_ _Munakata reasoned._ _ **" She will be perfectly safe outside while you are dressing. "**_

 _A still bright pink Amaya looked at the Blue King gratefully._ _ **" Thank you, Sir, "**_ _she breathed, before darting out of the room as if the hounds of hell were at her heels._

* * *

The girl was still bright pink when Fushimi was done dressing, and she finally came back into the room. He was dressed in dark jeans, a grey shirt, a black denim jacket, and sneakers, his ever present purple wrist bands peeking out from under the sleeves. Munakata would learn later on that they had been a gift from Amaya Tenjin when he was just starting as a new recruit at Scepter 4.

As Akiyama drove the truck taking them to Amaya's apartment so she could collect her clothes, while Benzai sat in the front passenger seat, Fushimi kept his arm around her waist, refusing to let her out of his sight for even a moment. When they stopped in front of the building, and their third in command got out, holding his fiancee's hand, he told them that they could go back to headquarters without them if they wished; he and Amaya would take a cab when they were ready.

" We'll wait here if that is the case, Fushimi-san, " Akiyama decided. " The Captain specifically ordered us not to return to headquarters without you two. "

" _Tch._ Suit yourself. "

" Saruhiko, " Amaya chided. " Don't be like that; they're just following orders, and I doubt that Captain Munakata would have issued them if it wasn't serious. "

Scepter 4's third in command clicked his tongue in irritation, and followed his fiancée up the stairs.

" She really knows how to handle him, " Benzai commented as he watched them.

" Yeah, " Akiyama agreed. " Although it's no surprise since they grew up together. "

* * *

It was suddenly awkward to be alone with him in the same room with him now that their relationship was official. Back then, it was just normal for them to sleep next to each other because they were content to be… together. Now that their relationship was confirmed, being alone with him in her apartment felt something akin to intimate for Amaya.

He combed the entire apartment to make sure everything was secure, and that no one would be able to get in while they were gone; he made sure that there were no hidden cameras either.

When she had finished packing, Amaya picked up a towel, along with some underwear, and clothes before heading to the bathroom. " I'm going to take a shower again. "

" Sure. "

He sat on the couch and leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling without seeing anything at all. He listened to the sound of the shower being turned on, listened to the sound of the spray…

* * *

She hadn't locked the door because she usually took a shower without having to worry about him, coming in at the most inappropriate of moments.

 _ **She heard the door open, and close, knew it was him.**_

Her heart pounding in her chest, her throat dry, Amaya turned to see Saruhiko Fushimi enter the bathroom with his own towel slung over his shoulder, his eyes on her, taking every detail, and she could have sworn she saw appreciation in those blue depths. Placing his towel on the rack, he locked the door behind him before taking off his glasses and discarding his own clothes, joining her in the shower.

" _**Saruhiko… "**_

This was crazy, he knew, but at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to stop. Taking the bottle of shampoo from its place beside her, he poured a generous amount into his palm, and massaged it into her hair, almost smiling as the top of her head disappeared in the lather he made, enjoying the feeling of the soft waves between his fingers.

When it was his turn, she lathered his head with the shampoo, smiling at the way his glossy strands felt.

She then lathered his body with the soap, in awe of the almost marble like perfection of his skin, even with the self inflicted burn mark below his collar bone.

 _ **He was perfect…**_

She memorized every angle and cure of his lanky body with her hands, at one point stopping just above his erection, unsure what to do. His blue eyes smoky with desire, he took her hand, and guided it downwards so that she was touching him, her fingers closing around him. Amaya was gratified to hear the gasp of pleasure he made as she touched him, becoming bolder with every moment, every stroke. Fushimi braced himself with his palms against the wall as she washed and touched him, his breaths coming in tiny whimpers as the pleasure washed over him. When she was done washing him, he took the soap from her.

Amaya was pretty shy, blushing as his hands moved over her skin, especially when he touched her waist. He knew that she was quite sensitive there, and when they were children, he had often tickled her there in that area.

 _ **Only this time, it was different…**_

" Saruhiko, " Amaya gasped. " I… "

 _ **He never gave her the chance to finish.**_

Pinning her to the wall, he parted her legs with his knee as the soapy lather made its way downward, and she cried out as his fingers went in between her inner folds, touching her so intimately that she thought she would die of shame and pleasure. He then applied the soap all over her before rinsing it off.

Closing the distance between himself and Amaya, he cupped the back of her head with one hand while he wound his other arm around her waist, and pulled her closer…

Their lips met in a deep kiss, parting to let their tongues meet and duel in an erotic dance. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him closer as she kissed him back, desire racing through her.

With the water still running, Fushimi scooped Amaya up in his arms and lay her on the floor before following, kissing her deeply and possessively.

Pain sliced through her insides as he penetrated her, and she held onto him, trying to fight the pain. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her clean, citrus scent. It wasn't long before he rose above her and began to move, both of them crying out with each thrust.

They could feel the pressure building, felt themselves reaching for something that they could only do together. When they reached that peak, they held on to each other, afraid of falling, because they didn't know how far they could go.

* * *

" Does it hurt? " Fushimi asked her as he held her, their bodies still joined. " Was I too rough? "

Amaya shook her head, her throat thick with emotion. " It always hurts the first time, Saruhiko, " she answered. " But it's okay; it was you, and it was beautiful… "

Reluctantly, he pulled out of her, and helped her to her feet. When both of them were standing, he noticed how she winced, and pulled her into his arms, holding her.

" I love you, Saruhiko. "

In response to her soft words, he tipped her face up, and kissed her tenderly, wishing that they didn't have to go, and that they could stay like this forever.

* * *

Akiyama and Benzai noticed the dark clad figures nearing their vehicle, and felt that something wasn't right. There were more than five of them, and they seemed to have their eyes on Amaya Tenjin's apartment building, although they had also noticed the Blue Clansmen parked outside.

It was Benzai who placed the call to headquarters. " We have a situation here, " he reported after Awashima answered. " It seems that Amaya Tenjin's sister has found her… "

* * *

They had just finished getting dressed when the hair stood on the back of Fushimi's neck, and his eyes moved to the sliding glass door that led to the balcony. He had locked the door earlier, but still…

" What's wrong, Saruhiko? " Amaya asked as she continued to comb her hair.

" I don't think we're alone, " he answered.

Amaya stopped what she was doing, and turned to him. Saruhiko Fushimi had sound instincts that were a lot sharper than hers by far; if he said that something was amiss, it always paid to heed his words.

" An intruder? " she asked, her eyes on him, the atmosphere suddenly becoming tense.

Before he could answer, the sound of gunfire erupted outside on the street, and he tackled Amaya to the floor as the glass doors exploded inward.

" Stay down! " he ordered, activating his aura, and grabbing his knives, along with his sword.

Amaya stayed down as ordered, but she didn't remain still. Crawling on her stomach, she upended the coffee table and grabbed the pistol she'd hidden there, along with the spare ammunition beside it as bullets began to rain into the apartment from the outside, followed by three masked figures clad in black.

 _ **Dammit!**_

The sounds of gunfire and clashing swords outside told them that all hell had broken loose. Keeping his aura activated, Fushimi stood up and flung his knives at the unwelcome visitors just as the front door was blown inward, the debris almost blinding. Amaya turned and fired at the other visitors who had decided to let themselves in, assured by the yells of pain that accompanied her own attack.

Blinking her eyes against the smoke, she made her way to the kitchen counter, and grabbed the knives on the chopping block, ducking just as the faucet flew out. Keeping her head down, her ears wringing with the sounds of battle, she made her way to one of the masked intruders, coming up behind him silently.

He never knew what hit him until it was too late.

Amaya grabbed the man around the neck from behind, and plunged the skinning knife in her hand into his side before stabbing him in the crook of the neck with what was known as a " Commando Thrust ", and as he fell, she went for his partner who was about to attach Saruhiko who had his back turned, driving the blade of her weapon into his throat.

Both of them were so occupied with their opponents, and watching each other's back that they didn't see the other two individuals who stepped calmly into the fray.

For some reason, Amaya suddenly felt her strength leaving her, and realized that she was falling into a crimson puddle, her legs failing her, her vision slowly beginning to fade.

 _ **She wanted to move…**_

 _ **She wanted to speak…**_

 _ **So …**_

 _ **Why…**_

 _ **Couldn't…**_

 _ **She…**_

Saruhiko saw Amaya fall into the puddle of her own blood just as the hooded figure that cut her down revealed its face, which could only be described as evil as she stood over her fallen sister before turning to look at him, her smile widening when she saw his despair as his eyes came to rest on his beloved.

 _ **Chou Tenjin.**_

" _**AMAYA! "**_

Slashing at his opponent and flinging his knives, Scepter 4's third in command rushed towards the figure that had destroyed what he loved the most, but before he could strike her down, he felt a blinding pain at his back, almost robbing him of his breath. His knees buckling, he fell facedown on the floor, realizing that his own blood had pooled around him, and was know mixing with Amaya's…

 _ **He saw the other figure remove its hood, saw another face he remembered well…**_

 _ **Another face of evil….**_

" Did you think that Ayato and I would just sit in prison, and wait? " Chou taunted, bending over Fushimi, Ayato standing beside her. " _Nobody_ crosses me and gets away with it, Saruhiko Fushimi. Remember that when you see my sister on the other side. "

With those words, she turned and left with her boyfriend and accomplice, amidst the sounds of battle outside.

* * *

 _ **He was dying…**_

 _ **Amaya was dying…**_

Fushimi raised himself up on his elbows, feeling so tired. Amaya raised her head to look at him, and tried to smile, but failed to do so as she began to cough, the life giving liquid that was her blood gushing from her lips.

" Amaya… "

His limbs heavy, his life's blood leaving his body, Fushimi pulled himself towards his fiancée as she tried to make her way towards him, despite their injuries.

When they reached each other, they reached out at the same time, their fingers entwining. Amaya tried to smile again, and succeeded, although there were tears in her eyes.

Tears for the man in front of her, for the life that they would have had together that was taken from them…

" _**I love you, Saruhiko… "**_

Their lips met in their final kiss with their living breaths, and as the gates of death opened before them, Saruhiko Fushimi squeezed Amaya's hand, breathing her name, and what was in his heart:

" _**I love you too, Amaya. "**_

He had made love to her once, but even if he could have done it again and again, it would never be enough.

As Fushimi finally succumbed to his injuries, he squeezed Amaya's tiny hand one last time, his last thoughts being that she had been taken from him too soon.

 _ **He couldn't let it end like this…**_

 _ **He wouldn't…**_

* * *

The Blue King felt a chill run through him as he and his clan faced off with the enemy, the sounds of battle filling the streets.

He didn't know how long had passed before their opponents were either dead or subdued, and when he raised his eyes to the stairs leading to Amaya Tenjin's apartment, he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding and loss within him.

Scepter 4 had been alerted to the scene by Akiyama and Benzai, and the fight had been quite brutal when the rest of the Special Squad arrived, led by Munakata himself. Once the Blue Clan had arrived, things had seemed to escalate.

Now, as everything seemed to calm down, the Blue King, led by Akiyama and Benzai, ascended the stairs leading to Amaya Tenjin's apartment. The front door was missing, except for a few sharp pieces of wood attached to the hinges, and when he saw his two clansmen stop at the sight that greeted them upon entering, he knew that his worst fears had come to life. Stepping through the explosion damaged doorway, his two subordinates moving back to allow him to take in the scene better, the Blue King found that the inside of the apartment looked like it had been hit by a tornado following an earthquake.

Four men dressed similarly in dark clothing and masks lay dead on different parts of the floor, several knives, and empty bullet shells surrounding them, but what caught the attention of the three individuals were the two figures not far from them.

Saruhiko Fushimi and Amaya Tenjin were lying next to each other in pools of their own blood that had merged, their hands joined, fingers entwined, even in death. It was obvious that both of them had fought back with all their strength, but had lost…

Munakata maintained a stoic expression as he gave orders to have the scene secured, body bags brought in to collect the dead, his heart heavy within him.

Saruhiko Fushimi may have been a former member of HOMRA, and quite unsociable, but the Blue King had considered him his son, and enjoyed his company. The appearance of his childhood friend and fiancée, Amaya Tenjin in Scepter 4's line of vision had been a pleasant surprise, allowing glimpses into Fushimi's softer side.

His eyes moved to the young girl who had loved his third in command with her whole heart and soul. He remembered how polite she had been, how comfortable she had been when speaking with him, a striking contrast to his men who had always maintained their distance from him due to his rank as their commanding officer. Munakata remembered the way she smiled when looking at Fushimi, the way she had stood up to protect him…

 _ **Such a tragic loss,**_ he thought to himself as he continued to stare at the two lovers. _**Such a waste…**_

* * *

News of the deaths of Saruhiko Fushimi and Amaya Tenjin spread quickly through the Blue Clan, stunning all those present.

 _ **But someone else had also felt the loss before being told.**_

Anna saw Saruhiko and Amaya as she slept, saw the red that surrounded them, heard the young man's cry of despair…

" _**Misaki! "**_

Everyone turned to look at the little girl who had rushed down the stairs in her nightie, her ruby eyes wide, and filled with tears.

It was Tatara who stood up and approached her. " What's the matter, Anna? " he asked gently. " Did you have a bad dream? "

In response, Anna shook her head, and continued towards Yata who, like everyone else present, looked concerned upon seeing the state of their little princess. " Misaki, " she wept. " Saruhiko and Amaya are dead! "

The stunned silence that followed the little albino's words was so thick, it became hard to breathe. Yata blinked, trying to comprehend if he'd heard right. " What…? " he shook his head. " It can't be… "

" It's true, Yata-chan, " Izumo confirmed, turning to the young man after answering the call from Seri Awashima that had come in just as Anna was coming down the stairs. " They were attacked at Tenjin-chan's apartment when she was going to get some clothes after Fushimi was discharged from the hospital. Prior to that, they were informed that Tenjin-chan's older sister, Chou, and her boyfriend, Ayato, had broken out of prison the night before; they even left behind pictures of Amaya and Fushimi in their cells. It seems that they came for revenge, and got to them, although Fushimi and Tenjin-chan put up a fight… even if they lost. "

Tatara picked Anna up, and carried her with him as they settled on the seat facing Yata, who had turned pale.

 _ **That damn monkey is dead, along with Amaya!**_ he thought, their faces flashing in his mind. _ **And he never even told me anything!**_

The turbulent relationship between Chou and Amaya Tenjin had been no secret to the Red Clan. Yata revealed the reason she had been staying with them prior to Fushimi's defection, so they had been pretty careful to tread lightly around the girl, considering how traumatized she had been. Despite Fushimi's leaving them for the Blue Clan, along with his and Amaya's falling out with Yata, the young girl had been like an older sister, and surrogate mother to Anna, as well as a friend to Kosuke Fujishima who was an animal lover like herself. Several times, she had been the one who'd found stray animals and brought them to him, asking for his help in finding permanent, loving homes for them; other times, it had been Fujishima who had asked for her help for the little creatures.

 _ **Now both of them were gone, and it weighed on both clans…**_


	11. Loss

_**People once believed that when someone dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is brought with it, and because of that, the soul can't rest.**_

 _ **And sometimes…**_

 _ **Just sometimes…**_

 _ **The crow can bring that soul back…**_

 _ **To make the wrong things right…**_

 **\- The Crow**

* * *

Blue, white, and red lights flashed as Scepter 4 secured the area, and loaded the bodies of Saruhiko Fushimi and Amaya Tenjin into the ambulance, followed by Reisi Munakata, his expression grim. The sight of the black body bags caused everyone to fall silent as the loss of one of their own, along with the young girl who had loved him so much caused the already serious mood to become heavier.

On a rooftop just opposite the scene, a lone figure that could have blended with the night watched the scene with its onyx eyes, sleek black feathers only slightly ruffled by the night breeze. It turned its head to look at the body bag containing Saruhiko Fushimi's body, the curve that signified where his head rested visible through the window. It then turned its eyes towards the Blue King who was sitting in the ambulance with his fallen clansman, and his fiancée. The man was sitting upright with his arms folded, his face turned towards the two figures whom he had spoken with just earlier this morning, although now, it seemed like a lifetime ago.

* * *

 _ **Things will never be right…**_

 _ **My soul will never rest…**_

 _ **Not until we are together again…**_

 **\- The Crow: Stairway to Heaven**

* * *

 _Saruhiko sighed as the movie finished, and glanced at Amaya, who was snuggled up to him with her head pillowed on his shoulder, a dreamy look in her eyes._ _ **" You don't really believe all that stuff, do you? "**_ _he asked._

 _He had just come from work at Scepter 4, and was going to spend the night – along with the next day – at her place since it would be his day off. They had just finished watching " The Crow ", starring the late Brandon Lee, and it wasn't like it was the first time. For as long as he could remember, Amaya had always loved the said movie, even declaring it her favorite._

 _His dark haired, childhood friend lifted her head to look up at him and smiled in a way that matched the look in her unique colored eyes._ _ **" Who knows? "**_ _she asked, resting her chin on his shoulder, and smiling in a mysterious way that reminded him of Anna._ _ **" Some legends are true. "**_

 _Saruhiko scoffed, and leaned his head back while she got up to eject the DVD from its player, and turned off the tv. He must have dozed, because when she touched his shoulder, and he opened his eyes, she was dressed in her pyjamas, and his eyelids felt heavy._

" _**Come on, "**_ _she urged softly while taking his hand, and pulling him to his feet._ _ **" It's more comfortable to sleep on a bed than in your position. "**_

 _He yawned._ _ **" I totally agree. "**_

 _They turned off the lights, and lay down on the bed, snuggled together like always, and she stroked his hair gently until he fell asleep again, comforted by her touch, holding onto her the way a drowning man would to a piece of driftwood._

 _She watched him as he slept, listening to the sound of his breathing, only closing her eyes when she knew that he would not be disturbed, and no monsters would haunt him in the world of dreams._

 _There were no nightmares that night, and everything was quiet._

 _It was a moment of peace…_

* * *

 _He clicked his tongue as he made his way through the sea of tall grass around him, trying to find his way out._

 _ **He had to find Amaya.**_

 _Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he was suddenly free, and out in an open field. He breathed a sigh of relief, and adjusted his glasses as his eyes scanned his surroundings, searching for_ _ **her.**_

 _ **If only he could find her…**_

 _ **Hold her…**_

 _ **Everything would be alright…**_

 _He saw her sitting on a swing suspended from the thick branch of an oak tree, her back to him. Even this far away, he could see that she was in a long sleeved, white dress that reached her ankles, her dark hair loose._

 _As he made his way to her, he noticed how the wind had started to pick up, buffering him from all sides, causing the tails of his uniform coat to whip about him, making it harder and harder for him to take each step even though his limbs were starting to become heavy, as if being weighed down by a heavy stone. The sky overhead was beginning to darken with the roiling clouds, thunder rumbling._

 _ **It was as if the wind was trying to keep him from her…**_

 _ **Saruhiko….**_

 _He heard her voice as clearly as if she was right beside him, or in front of him, but her tone sounded like a sad lamentation, as if she was on the verge of tears…_

 _ **As if she was mourning…**_

 _ **But…**_

 _ **What was she mourning?**_

 _ **Why was she mourning..?**_

 _ **Saruhiko…!**_

 _Suddenly, the wind stopped, and everything was still._

 _There was no sound, as if the world held its breath._

 _Disoriented, he fixed his glasses, and approached the figure on the swing. She was slowly swinging back and forth, her eyes still turned away from him._

 _ **Saruhiko….**_

 _She sounded like she was crying, and just as he came to stand behind her, he realized that something was wrong. It looked like she was blindfolded, like the statue of Lady Justice, represented by Libra, and Athena._

 _ **But why?**_

 _As if to answer his unvoiced question, she stopped swinging and turned her head, and he nearly screamed at the sight._

 _Yes, she was blindfolded, but the parts that covered her eyes were stained red, her blood flowing down her cheeks, like crimson tears, and they might have been because she_ _ **was**_ _crying._

 _ **Saruhiko…**_

 _And now, he remembered why..._

 _ **Had Libra, Athena, and Lady Justice ever shed tears upon seeing the injustices that were committed, and never avenged?**_

* * *

 _After Saruhiko and Amaya had breathed their last, their hands – and hearts – still joined in death, Chou and Ayato made their way back to the pair amidst the chaos that was still raging outside._

 _Bending over the younger sister she had just killed with her own hands, Chou pulled out a dagger similar to the ones used to kill the offered sacrifices in the rituals as she came to stand over the now lifeless girl's body. Bending down, she grabbed her sister's hair and yanked her head upwards. If Amaya had been alive, she would have kicked and screamed, would have fought back with all her might until her assailant released her._

 _But she was dead, the same as the young man who was her first, her last, and only love. The same young man whose hand she held even in death._

 _Without blinking an eye, Chou thrust the tip of her blade into the flesh under Amaya's left eye, and began cutting around it. When she was done, she yanked the bloody mass that was Amaya's eyeball, spilling even more of the crimson liquid that was only beginning to stop flowing. Tucking her prize in her pocket, she moved to the other side, and repeated the gruesome act on her sister's other eye before releasing her hair, satisfied when she heard the soft crack that sounded when her head struck the floor._

 _Wiping the blood off the dagger using Amaya's blouse, Chou then tucked it back in its sheath, and nodding her head at Ayato, signaled that it was time to leave._

 _They left through the window of Amaya's bedroom that was facing away from the street, like shadows in the night, thinking that they hadn't been seen…_

 _But they **had** been seen…_

* * *

It flew over the rooftops, unseen against the night sky unless it had the moon against its back, but even then, no one noticed it.

It followed the Scepter 4 vehicles, its eyes on the one that held the bodies of the two lovers whose lives had been cut short, the Blue King keeping vigil over them.

The cry of despair was too intense and loud to ignore…

 _ **It had been a long time, but it would help make the wrong things right…**_


	12. I Won't Let It End This Way

_He groped in the darkness, reaching._

 _Reaching…_

 _He could hear her calling him, but he couldn't see her, didn't know where she was because her voice seemed to call him from different directions, if the black pit of despair had any direction…_

 _ **Saruhiko….**_

 _ **Amaya, where are you?**_

 _ **Saruhiko, I'm here… but I can't see you….**_

 _ **It's so dark…!**_

 _ **Saruhiko…!**_

* * *

The silence enveloping Scepter 4 could be felt in every corner of the building following the return of the Blue King with the bodies of his third in command, and his fiancee.

News had reached headquarters about the deaths of Saruhiko Fushimi and Amaya Tenjin, along with the obvious impact that it had on the Blue King. Following their arrival, he had overseen their delivery to the medical examiner, and once the doors had closed, he had gone to the dorm, and opened the door to Fushimi's room with the key that had fallen from Fushimi's pocket as he was being loaded into a body bag.

As Munakata closed the door behind him, he turned on the lights, his eyes moving to the picture frames atop the drawer set beside the bunk beds. Moving closer, he saw that they were pictures of Fushimi and Amaya; one frame held a picture of them as children holding hands, the early morning light casting a soft glow on their faces. Fushimi looked to be eight or nine, and his little brunette friend, not surprisingly, looked like she was four or five years old despite being older, her mother behind them, smiling lovingly as they looked up at her.

The other picture showed them together, standing together, apparently not long after Fushimi had joined Scepter 4. The years of suffering that they had endured was obvious in the sadness in their eyes even as they shared a tender moment together. Amaya Tenjin was dressed in her uniform from Ashinaka High School, her hair loose and blowing in the wind, her arms around Fushimi who was dressed in his Scepter 4 uniform. The look on his face as he his eyes rested on the smiling girl embracing him was different from the shuttered way he regarded the other people around him, even though he wasn't smiling back.

Pained, Munakata was about to sit down on the edge of the lower bunk of Fushimi's bed when something under the upper bunk's mattress caught his eyes. Puzzled, he lifted the cushion, and found himself looking at a large brown scrap book. Taking the newly discovered treasure in his hands, Munakata sat down on the lower bunk and began going through the pages. There were various pieces of paper that looked like receipts, wrappers that looked like they had come from chocolate bars, wrappings from various items on different pages, all with dates and brief descriptions of each. One discovery in particular near the middle of the scrap book provided a little more insight into the relationship between Scepter 4's third in command, and the girl who had loved him until her last breath: it was a plastic wrapping beside a slightly faded receipt with a short, yet detailed description:

 _May 18_

 _Purple wristbands – a present from Amaya since she knew that today was the day I would be initiated into Scepter 4. She gave them to me before the ceremony, and watched from afar as it took place._

 _I can't believe that she still remembered those wristbands from last week, and went out of her way to buy them for me since today is supposed to be_ _ **her**_ _birthday, but then again, that's how she's always been…_

* * *

The window to the morgue had been left open after the autopsies on Saruhiko Fushimi and Amaya Tenjin were done, allowing the silent observer easy access into the room, its eyes on the table where the body of the one who had cried out against death lay covered by a large sheet….

It perched on the table opposite the body, making itself at home among the surgical tools, and ingredients, watching…

Watching….

All the members of the Special Task Force had gathered in the Information Room upon orders from the Blue King following the conclusion of the autopsies done on Fushimi and Amaya.

" Both of them died from the massive loss of blood after their major arteries were severed by a sharp blade, " the medical examiner revealed. " Although, there is something else… "

The Blue King regarded him silently, waiting.

" Amaya Tenjin's eyes were torn out of their sockets post mortem, " the examiner explained, looking ill.

The collective gasps uttered by those who had heard the news filled the room, some of the men looking sick enough to throw up.

* * *

 _He was adrift in the endless darkness, unable to move, unable to speak._

 _ **Amaya….**_

 _ **He needed to hold her.**_

 _ **If he could just hold her, everything would be alright.**_

 _He could feel her nearby, could hear her calling him, trying to reach for him just as he was for her, but like him, she was also adrift, unable to move or speak._

 _It wouldn't end like this…_

 _It couldn't…_

 _He would not let those who had taken her from him live to breathe another day._

 _He would find them, and make them pay._

 _ **He would find her again.**_

 _ **And when he did, everything would be right…**_

* * *

 _It was like sinking into the ocean's depths, unable to move._

 _But suddenly, he was able to move, and the feeling that he was being dragged upwards through the layers of darkness, towards the harsh light that was the world of the living._

 _He saw Amaya smiling at him, felt her holding him as he trembled, the circle of her arms his refuge._

 _ **Amaya…**_

 _Suddenly, he saw both of them lying in the pools of their blood, saw Chou tearing her eyes out after they had breathed their last, and when he turned around, he saw her crying, blood pouring from the empty holes where her beautiful eyes had once been as she called his name, turning this way and that, trying to find him…_

 _ **Pain…**_

 _ **So much pain…**_

 _It tore through every cell of his body, causing him to gasp and cry out louder than he had ever done, and it wasn't just the physical aspect that made him cry out._

 _He cried out against the darkness that had taken his chance to be with Amaya away, at the violence that had been done to her when she hadn't been able to defend herself, the mutilation that had taken place because he wasn't able to protect her…._

 _ **He would find her eyes.**_

 _ **He would find her.**_

 _ **He would find those who took her from him.**_

 _ **And he would make them pay.**_

* * *

Anna gasped and bent over, wrapping her arms around herself as the force of the cry from the world of the dead reached her, and filled her with its chill, causing her to whimper helplessly. The sound caught the attention of all those present, including a shell shocked Yata who was still unable to comprehend that his best friend turned enemy, along with his childhood sweetheart were gone. They had just received the news that had been relayed by Lieutenant Awashima about the results of the autopsy, as well as the post mortem mutilation that had been done to Amaya Tenjin, the latter part of the news making them sick.

" Anna? "

It was Chitose who reached her first, and caught her as she fell off the barstool she had been perched on, her eyes closing as she went limp in his arms.

" Oi! "

Everyone gathered around their little princess, and even Mikoto moved from his spot on the couch so Chitose could lay her down. She was shivering, and her skin was clammy. Tatara immediately appeared with several layers of blankets in his arms, and they wasted no time wrapping her up before Mikoto created a red bubble around her to give her additional warmth.

" Misaki…! "

At the sound of his name, the brash young man moved closer, and knelt beside her. Anna opened her eyes, and looked directly at him.

" Saruhiko won't let it end this way… "

* * *

The sound tore through the night, startling all those who heard it, and causing chills to run down their spines.

The cry was one of despair that stemmed from the soul of one who'd had the only light in his life taken away, a cry for revenge against those who had wronged him….

Munakata rose to his feet at the sound, and strode in the direction of the morgue, noticing, but paying no mind to the medical examiner who looked like he had just seen a ghost as he sat with his back against the wall, his papers scattered around him, the door open. He didn't know what he was expecting, but somehow, he wasn't surprised at the sight that greeted him upon entering.

His resurrected third in command was sitting up, the sheet that had been used to cover him concealing the lower half of his body, but not the upper half.

Saruhiko Fushimi had always been pale, but his appearance at the moment could have made a vampire's pallor look like the full bloom of health. There were dark circles under his eyes as if he had gone an entire month without sleep, and the look in his eyes was enough to make the Blue King cautious; his hair, while never neat when he was still a living person, was disheveled despite the blood being washed out following the autopsy performed on him.

" Fushimi-kun? "

" Where is she? " the younger man asked, his eyes wild.

Munakata sighed, not wanting to have to tell the young man that his beloved was dead, her body desecrated by her own flesh and blood, but he knew that he had no choice.

" She is right beside you. "

At his words, Fushimi turned to the metal gurney beside him, noting the sheet covering it. By now, most of the Special Squad had gathered outside the morgue, and were gawking in disbelief at the sight of their resurrected third in command, although he paid them no mind.

Slowly, as if in pain, Fushimi slid off the table, revealing that he still had his uniform pants on, and took hold of the sheet covering his childhood love's body, pulling it back.

" _**Amaya… "**_


End file.
